Orthopedic body support



March 27, 1956 E. H. RIEDELL 2,739,642

ORTHOPEDIC BODY SUPPORT Filed Aug. 6, 1953 5 INVENTOR.

Ebw/A/ H R/EDELL,

Unied States ORTHOPEDIC BODY SUPPORT Edwin H. Riedell, Whittier, Calif.

Application August 6, 1953, SeriaLNo. 372,648

7 Claims. (Cl. 155-189) This invention relates to and has for an objectthe provision of an orthopedic appliance for supporting invalid adults,children and infants for the dual purpose of supporting a person inerect sitting position on a seat against possibility of dislodgement andresultant injury, while at the same time affording support to weak areasof the human body and thereby strengthening the muscles and frame.

An imporant object is to provide a flexible appliance made of heavy andstrong fabric such as canvas formed with relating adjustable abdominaland dorsal sections between which the torso of a seat occupant isconfined and securely held while the legs hang from the front of theseat and the head and chest areas are held comfortably erect, connectingstraps being extended laterally from each side of the dorsal section andarranged to be extended around the back of a seat and secured togetherfor holding the back or dorsal section stretched to a desired tensionbehind the occupant, the abdominal section having laterally extendedstraps, threaded through slats in and adjustably secured to the rearside of the dorsal section and held so as to confine the torso of anoecupant between the back and front section.

Thus, when the attaching straps of the back section are secured togetherand are extended around a chair back, at different elevations the backsection will constitute a band bearing against and serving to support awide area of the back while the abdominal section which is atfixed atopposite extremities to the back section applies support to the front ofthe torso and together with the dorsal section, serves to confine andhold an occupant in the seat against accidental or self-intendeddisplacement, and when used on invalids and infants avoids possibilityof injury to the occupant user.

Other objects may appear as the description progresses.

I have shown a preferred form of appliance embodying the invention inthe accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an infant seated in a chair and heldagainst displacement and injury by my improved appliance;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the chair of Fig. l and the appliancesecured thereto; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the appliance detached andrespectively viewed from the front and rear.

Preferably a satisfactory appliance for the purpose of the inventionincludes an elongated wide main section formed with a back or dorsalportion A from opposite lateral boundaries of which pairs of straps 1and 2 and 1a and 2a are adapted for extrusion around the rigid back 3 ofa chair C. The straps 12 and 1a--2a are suitably secured together at therear of chair C as by fasteners 4, and 4a so as to tension the band A onthe chair back 3.

An abdominal band B is adjustably supported on band A by'f-iprovidingpairs of lateral straps 5 adapted to be threaded through slots 6, and 6arespectively in band 2,739,642 .Baiented. Mar- '22, .1956

A and secured to-the= reanside-nf. band "A as. by means. of .similarfastenings 4nand 4a. or. otherwise. Preferably more than a singlerfastener 4ayis providedfor fasteners 4.of-;straps 5;, 5,, 5a rand.-.5a,in .ordertoprovide adegree of adjustment of'the tension. of zband B.Straps. 1-.and

I claim: .11. An. orthopedic.appliancescomprising; a. main bandof-yfa'bric adapted tooverlie thayfront iof a chair, back andzhavingattachingestnaps extended fromopposite lat- :eral: boundaries: of: saidirband. and s thence. .behind i said. .chairback. rotapointsofcsattachmentnwhereat ,said

straps are connected for tensioning said band on the chair, and a.second hand overlying the intermediate area of said main band andadjustably attached to the main band for independent adjustment withrespect to said main band whereby it may be tensioned over the abdominal region of a chair occupant positioned between said bands.

2. An orthopedic appliance comprising: a main band of fabric adapted tooverlie the front of a chair back and having attaching straps extendedfrom opposite lateral boundaries of said main band and thence behindsaid chair back to a point of attachment whereat said straps areconnected for tensioning said band on the chair, and a second bandoverlying the intermediate area of. said main band and adjustablyattached to the main band whereby it may be tensioned independently onthe main band over the abdominal region of a chair occupant positionedbetween said bands, said bands being of a width corresponding to theareal extent of a human body including the lumbar, abdominal and chestregions, said second band having straps extended from opposite lateralmargins thereof through slots in the main band, and adjustably fastenedto the reverse side of the main band.

3. An orthopedic appliance comprising: a main band of fabric adapted tooverlie the front of a chair back and having attaching straps extendedfrom opposite lateral boundaries of said main band and thence behindsaid chair back to a point of attachment whereat said straps areconnected for tensioning said band on the chair, and a second bandoverlying the intermediate area of said main band and adjustablyattached to the main band whereby it may be tensioned independently ofsaid main band over the abdominal region of a chair occupant positionedbetween said bands and means at the ends of the strap of said main bandfor connection to simultaneously tension both of said bands.

4. An orthopedic appliance comprising: a pair of fabric bands the firstof which adapted to be tensioned and held on the back of a chair and thesecond of which is detachably mounted and secured on said first band byadjustable fasteners, said first band bearing against the dorsal regionsand said second band bearing against the abdominal region of a chairoccupant.

5. An orthopedic appliance comprising: a pair of fabric bands the firstof which is adapted to be tensioned and held on the back of a chair andthe second of which is detachably mounted and secured on said firstband, said first band bearing against the dorsal'regions and said secondhand bearing against the abdominal region of a chair occupant, andseparate adjustable means for attaching the first band to a chair andfor attaching the second band to the first band whereby said securedband may be adjusted independently of said first band.

6. An orthopedic appliance comprising: a pair of fabric bands the firstof which is adapted to be tensioned and held on the back of a chair andthe second of which is adjustably tensioned'independently of and withrespect to said first hand, said first band bearing against the dorsalregions and said second band bearing against the abdominal region of achair occupant, and separate adjustable means for attaching the firstband to a chair and for attaching the second hand to the first band,said attaching means for said first band including pairs of strapsleading from opposite lateral margins of said bands respectively aroundand secured together rearwardly or i the chair back, said attachingmeans for said second hand including pairs of straps extending from thelateral margins thereof and adjustably securable to the reverse side ofsaid first band.

7. An orthopedic appliance comprising: a dorsal band extended over theobverse side, lateral edges and reverse side of a chair back,'andfasteners borne by opposite marginal portions of said band foradjustably tensioning said band on the chair back, an abdominal bandadjustably tensionable with respect to and borne by said dorsal band,and fasteners borne by portions of said abdominal band engageable withfasteners .on the reverse side oi said dorsal band for adjustablytensioning the abdominal band relative to the dorsal band for confininga chair occupant between said bands.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

